TCG and I spent the evening cooking for a small family gathering tomorrow. The first time we will have seen anyone in a couple weeks thanks to the flu. And now we’re watching Stranger Thing and having cocktails and cookies. It’s quiet but good.

I am making no attempt to stay up.

We’re playing the East Coast version of NYE. Definitely not making it to midnight in California. I woke up at 1:30 and couldn’t get back to sleep and the driving today included a lot of fog, blinding fog. Which is amazing in the desert if you aren’t driving but we were.

The rough spots are how we become real.

((Hugs everyone))

I can’t think of NYE without thinking of Gus and the NYE he faked his stupid fucking death. It’s over now but it hurt our group as well as brought us together. And that’s sad.

Hi, Cass!

Gus isn't even worth the energy it would take for me to disparage him.

Today we had belated Christmas lunch with my Dad and then belated Christmas dinner with my mom and stepdad, since Christmas Eve was stupid cold with wind chills of Oh Hell No. We watched the start of the OSU-Georgia game at my mom's, and now since we don't have cable, I keep checking the score online. Waiting for the end of the game might be the only thing that keeps me up until midnight.

We had a lovely time with our friends here; the roast was delicious, and I used my mom's china and crystal, too (we'll, mine now), so it felt eerily like one of our family holiday dinners. Ruby would've been pleased.

And we made it to midnight, but, damn, faded freaking fast. About to hit the sack. Here's to a 2023 with lots of good in it for all.

I will probably be asleep before midnight, but then awake AT midnight because there's some people a block or two away who always break out the illegal fireworks. I have to be up sorta early tomorrow anyway, since I'm preaching the sermon at my church, which is a thing I now do once a quarter or so. I did not have "Episcopalian lay preacher" on my personal bingo card until very, very recently, but here I am nonetheless.

I made it to midnight! Amusingly the fireworks were supposed to also have a drone show this year. Which started about two minutes late, so suddenly at 12:02 was counting down 10 9 8…and then all the pictures it made didn’t go with the music and it kept going for a couple minutes after the fireworks and music ended. Ooops.

I didn’t stay up until midnight. But today a couple of friends are coming over for brunch, which seems like a nice way to start 2023. Usually my upstairs neighbor hosts a huge NY Day brunch, but she’s out of town for family reasons. She did share her hoppin’ John recipe, though, and I got it started last might. I think my version might taste even better, because I used bacon grease to cook the onion. I’ll be serving it along side mini spinach and bacon quiches (for New Year’s greens) and apple strudel. I’m using store bought puff pastry for both—it helps make everything fancy. And, of course, mimosas, for the vitamins C.

But I am also a very reticent and shy person, so I have dodged poor Laura near me at Otter Lake. Maybe next year.

I totally get that! Also, I don't forget that you and Erin were the point people for the 1st F2F, which is an incredible memory. So, not next year, this year!

Gus isn't even worth the energy it would take for me to disparage him.

This is where I am as well.

We watched the start of the OSU-Georgia game at my mom's

Sorry. I did miss the absolute end because I went outside for the midnight fireworks. It was quite the game.

I dressed up and went to BIL's house. It was a small group, but the fireworks and company were delightful. I drank champagne and cremas (a Haitian drink with approximately 1000 calories per sip). Most of the food was also Haitian which isn't really my thing so I ate salad and fruit, and cookies. I should be in sugar withdrawal today between the cookies and the cremas. eta: I looked up the calories for cremas and it is only 760 for a half cup, so totally worth it.

Happy New Year!

Just the name makes me want a crema, Laura.

Sounds like a lovely brunch, Calli. Yum.

We had black-eyed peas last night and an Armenian New Year pudding that my friend made and brought... along with tales of how much she hated helping her mom and aunt make it as a kid, ha!

Tonight we're going to see the lights at the botanical gardens where we got married, aw. I love a light display.

Welp, 2023, y'all. Got nothing but love for all of you and a wish for so much good for you this year.